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Is there a difference between the thinking of a 20- or 30-something-year-old single male and a 40- or 50-something never-married single male about getting married? I will share some information on that subject in the next article. In the meanwhile, first, view this film clip released by Columbia Pictures in 1955. Then view the conclusion on the “HERS” page. It is quite humorous.
By Justin Coleman
“for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.” – John 16:27 (NKJV)
If you are a Christian, you have undoubtedly heard many times that Jesus loves you. This is a wonderful truth. Jesus loves us beyond our wildest imaginations. He loved us so much that He died for our sins on the cross so that we could be washed clean and restored to a right relationship with God the Father. Sometimes the way this message is shared could leave a wrong impression about the character and disposition of the Father.
Some people may have the impression that God the Father is full of anger and wants to punish mankind for their sins, but Jesus loved us so much that he stepped in between us to save us from the wrath of an angry God. Certainly, sin was and is deserving of punishment, and Jesus paid that price in full so that we could be free from the bondage and punishment of sin, but this kind of mindset is a warped way to view who God is and what His character is like.
Exodus 34:6, before Jesus came to be a propitiation for sin, the Lord says of Himself, “And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.’”
Psalm 107:1&2 states, “O give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of Jehovah say so, Whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the adversary” (ASV). Jesus shared in the following verse,
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” John 6:38 (NKJV)
So then, Jesus didn’t come to earth to do his own will. He was sent to the earth to accomplish redemption for all mankind. Who sent him? God the Father! What was the Father’s motivation for sending Jesus? Was it out of a sense of obligation? Was it because of His great wrath? Did He have to send Jesus, or did He choose to do so of His own will? Perhaps the most famous scripture gives us the answer…
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (NKJV)
God sent Jesus to earth for one reason. He loved us! You might think, ‘I thought Jesus came to save us from our sins?’. You are correct, that is what Jesus accomplished, but the reason he was sent to save us from our sins was because of the great love that Father God has for us. His motivation was love. He loved us so much He was willing to send His beloved Son to suffer and die, taking the punishment that humanity deserved.
Sometimes we can take simple truths for granted because we have heard them so many times. I encourage you to really think about the magnitude of what this truly means. If God loved me, you, and the whole world so much that He was willing to have His own Son suffer and die the most horrifying death to save us, how great His love must be for us! Do you love anyone so much that you would die for them? Not just give up your life, but suffer in unimaginable ways? Or be willing to give up one of your family members’ lives to save someone you don’t know? Or to save someone who hates you?
Psalm 117 encourages, “Oh praise Jehovah, all ye nations; Laud him, all ye peoples. For his lovingkindness is great toward us; And the truth of Jehovah endureth for ever. Praise ye Jehovah.”
I encourage you to really let that truth sink in. God the Father loves us so much that He was willing to pay the highest price. Not just to save us but so we could be His children. Why would He do all of that? Why would His love cause Him to go through all that trouble? Because that’s how much He desires to have a relationship with us. The Father Himself truly loves us!
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